These days it would seem that almost everyone you know – your friends, colleagues, peers or family members are jumping on the programming bandwagon. And learning programming has never been more enticing thanks to the challenge of solving problems via computers and software. These individuals are doubly excited at the prospect of building their careers through knowledge of website creation, mobile app development and coding knowledge.

While the idea of becoming a coder for a living might not appeal to you, it is worth your time to learn coding. I mean this in all seriousness – if computers feature in your daily existence then learning to code will change your life.

And I don’t mean in the kind of ‘improve your mind’, expand thinking skills’ and ‘make you a better person for society’ kind of way. Learning to code transforms you into a more efficient, productive and effective individual.

A real world example features my colleague, Ashish who is our in-house graphic designer. On a daily basis, Ashish works on various file formats – video, motion graphics, audio etc. Thanks to him being extremely organized, he is disciplined in creating a set of folders in which these materials are sorted by type, client and medium in which to be shared. Hence tons of new folders are created per project.

Until about four weeks ago Ashish was manually creating these files. Then one day he took an online Python Basics course and was able to develop a simple script which created these folders for him.

1. The freedom to make your own schedule

For those requiring another option from the traditional 9-5 cubicle job, this could be the most cited benefit of learning to code. While there are deadlines and meetings, you possess a lot more freedom over when, where and what time to dedicate to the people requiring your time.

2. It is highly rewarding

The truly amazing thing about coding and programming is how rewarding it is. This is hard to describe – it really must be experienced by you.

Coding enables you to visualize scenarios and solve them on your own as a result of your own problem solving skills and ingenuity. Each time you fix a bug or add extra functions, you gain a true sense of accomplishment and an adrenaline rush to do more. There is no greater reward than seeing your friends play the game you coded or use the website you programmed.

Besides that, it isn’t just the results that are rewarding. The coding bug can bite you and can keep you engaged for hours thanks to its tight ‘feedback loop’. Every time you make a change you can test that code seeing how it affects it. You will find yourself wanting to get another thing working or fixing another bug.

3. It’s great for the brain

A study showed programmers score 16% higher than non programmers in a series of cognitive tests. Some theories point towards the language center being activated, whereas others liken it to maths. Recent brain scans of coders show the areas associated with language processing, working memory and attention being affected.

This shows that coding simply teaches you to think differently. It teaches you to be resourceful, handle abstract concepts as well as apply ‘systems thinking’. It presents rarely faced problems and prepares us to approach challenges in all walks of life far more efficiently.

4. Coding helps you build tools

Once you begin to code, you will discover a million different situations requiring random jobs to be automated and to be specifically designed for individuals as well as companies. An app was recently created for our inter-company Christmas quiz! Our uniqueness finds us in different scenarios where a tool can be used that no one else could find useful. With regards to your own career and work, imagine what part of your work flow could be made faster and more efficient once the right piece of software is used?

5. It’s a great career move

In today’s day and age, it is common knowledge of how lucrative and desirable coding knowledge can be. Many of us in our mid-twenties are cursing our fortune at being born ‘too late’ for the digital revolution. They reflect on the ‘advantage’ the next generation has by being raised around mobile devices and being overlooked for lucrative jobs.

This is not a deterrent for you from learning code right now. You can inform your future employer of your own capabilities in designing web apps and websites placing yourself in the running for the job.

Seek out hackathons and hack camps in your city that teach you such skills. This is the easiest way to start learning to code.

When choosing to progress your career and transforming yourself into a highly sought after candidate viable for a raise, programming gives you that added advantage over your peers. It also avoids your job being potentially replaced by robotics in the near future!

Written By

Navya is a Bangalore-based freelance writer. She’s a food loving, celebrity-obsessed, wise owl whose feathers you’ll find very hard to ruffle. In her short life, she has also managed to convince a few people and herself that she’s a hoot!

About Author

Navya D'Souza

Navya is a Bangalore-based freelance writer. She’s a food loving, celebrity-obsessed, wise owl whose feathers you’ll find very hard to ruffle. In her short life, she has also managed to convince a few people and herself that she’s a hoot!